Ferdinand Marcos state honors rejected by Aquino administration

President Aquino rejected state of honors for late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, "It would be unjust to allow Ferdinand Marcos to be buried with state honors when thousands of human rights victims during the former dictator’s reign have never received any government apology."

Ferdinand Marcos held the title of President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. Filipinos joined forces for "People Power" revolution in February that led to his removal from power and eventual exile in Hawaii.

On September 21, 1972 he declared "martial law" by virtue of Proclamation NO. 1081, extending his rule beyond the constitutional two-term limit.

“We have so many victims of the martial law years who have not gotten even a recognition formally from the government and they were victims. They have not been accorded an apology, the compensation bill is still pending, and it would be really I think the height of injustice to render any honors to the person who was the direct mastermind of all their suffering,” Aquino told a gathering of local and foreign newsmen at the Mandarin Oriental hotel yesterday.

Marcos’ senator son said, “the President has wasted a very good opportunity to unify the nation.” The chief of staff of former first lady Imelda Marcos said the senator has been designated family spokesman on the issue. Mrs. Marcos is reportedly confined in an undisclosed hospital.

Imelda Marcos pushed for his burial in the Manila heroe's cemetery, which is reserved for presidents, soldiers, statesmen and national artists.

Vice President Jejomar Binay recommended military honors instead of state funeral or heroe's burial at the heroe's cemetery.

“With regards to the Marcos burial, you know, in all honesty – and I think I will have to communicate this to the Vice President, I apologize, he’s been doing the study on my behalf; he had a recommendation – and it was recently called to my attention again. So I think I will not, I am sanctioning – not under my watch – a (state) burial for the late President Marcos,” Aquino said.

“And I think you cannot divorce what happened during the martial law years with the totality of his public life. And it serves as a wrong message – demeans the honors given to others of a similar nature – to render the same to a person that has inflicted such suffering on our people after having promised to serve them,” Aquino said.

Marcos remains display on a glass coffin in his hometown in Batac. Binay told reporters that Marcos still have to respect as President.

On 1983 Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., father of the current President of the Philippines gunned down at the Manila airport upon his return after a self-imposed three-year exile.

Marcos regain his power by "snap election" in 1986 but Filipinos were not happy and violence began. Aquino's widow, Corazon led the "People Power" revolutions and Marcos can't do anything to stop them. He asked help from America but they just send U.S Air Force jet that brought Marcos and wife Imelda to Hawaii. They stayed there until Marcos died in 1989.

They took with them some 300 crates of prized possessions and more than 28 million cash, in Philippine currency. President Aquino's administration said this was only a small part of the Marcos's five to ten billion of illegally acquired wealth; Ferdinand's frozen bank accounts in Switzerland were said to have $475 million. In 1995, the government was able to auction off three jewelry collections worth $13 million. In 1999, after a thirteen year legal battle, the Marcos family agreed to pay $150 million to about 10,000 victims of human rights abuses.